The present disclosure relates generally to brushes and brush treatments, and more particularly to cleaning and rinsing cosmetic brushes and other applicators. Suitable uses include, but are not limited to, cleaning, rinsing, and removing excess moisture from brushes and applicators of different sizes and configurations.
Makeup, oils, bacteria, and other substances tend to accumulate on brushes, sponges, and similar cosmetic applicators. These accumulated substances can undesirably affect the color and quality of applied makeup, due to oxidation and binding with the oils. Unwanted accumulations can also lead to uneven application, skin irritation, and other issues. Removing the accumulated substances can thus improve both the function and the appearance of a user's cosmetic accessories, and extend their useful service life.
Cosmetic brushes were traditionally cleaned by hand, using a mixture of water and mild soap or shampoo. Previous efforts to improve upon hand washing have led to a range of products with surface textures adapted for cleaning, rinsing and removing excess moisture, including products described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,015,895, TEXTURED DEVICE FOR CLEANING COSMETIC BRUSHES, filed Jul. 2, 2012; U.S. application Ser. No. 14/514,630, MAT DEVICE FOR CLEANING COSMETIC BRUSHES, filed Oct. 15, 2014 (Publication No. 2015/0027495); and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/514,635, REVERSIBLE DEVICE FOR CLEANING COSMETIC BRUSHES, filed Oct. 15, 2014 (Publication No. 2015/0027496); each of which is incorporated by reference herein, in the entirety and for all purposes.
Although these and other existing products can be used to enhance certain aspects of brush cleaning and treatment, there remains a need for new and improved designs. In particular, there remains a need for new products and techniques that provide for a more flexible approach to brush rinsing and cleaning, and which can be readily adapted to the different treatment configurations to enhance the user experience. At the same time, there is also a need for improved products and methods that can offer these advantage without incorporating all the same features and limitations of the existing prior art.